DESIS Network
DESIS Network is a constellation of autonomous but interconnected DESIS Labs. Given this system architecture it offers the very unique possibility to integrate local and global points of view and to promote open design programs where a variety of projects converge, tackling complex problems and generating larger scenarios.
Activities
DESIS Network’s basic activity is to support DESIS Labs projects, to facilitate their collaboration and to inform a larger audience on the potential of design for social innovation. More precisely:
- It supports Local Projects promoting visibility and collaboration and enhancing the circulation of experiences, results and design tools.
- it facilitates Regional and Global Projects creating arenas where the discussion can freely start, where the best partners can be found and where promising ideas can be incubated
- It offers DESIS Labs and a larger audience relevant information onexemplary projects and case studies;programs of workshops, seminars and courses; calendars ofcultural events and communication initiatives, as exhibitions, publications and broadcasts.
DESIS Network’s second kind of activity is to promote and support regional sub-networks of DESIS Labs and thematic clusters of similar projects.
- Regional Networksconnect and coordinate the DESIS Labs situated in the same area. Their role is to promote discussions on regional specificities and develop programs of initiatives at the regional scale.
- Thematic Clustersconnect and coordinate the DESIS Labs dealing with similar topics in similar ways. Their role is to facilitate the exchange among on-going projects, to start new research proposals and to outline and communicate thematic scenarios.
Organization
DESIS Network is largely based on self-organization at the local level and on network-wide distributed responsibilities and administrative roles**. In this spirit, it is coordinated and directed by a Council (the DESIS Council, with one representative for every DESIS Lab), aBoard (including Council members with specific responsibilities at the international level) and the International Coordinator (indicated by the Council between the Board members). The International Coordinator and the Board are supported by a small number of staff members responsible for international operations (as: initiative coordination and communication and web-management).
On the administrative side, each DESIS initiative is managed, and administrated, by a partnership of DESIS Labs. Therefore, the administrative responsibility of DESIS Network is limited to international coordination and website management.
** This DESIS Network organisation is still in a construction phase. More information can be seen in the section: “Organization: next steps”.
